By Jack Stallard/JUCO Weekly Contributor
Teams in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference averaged almost four touchdowns per game a year ago, and with three established quarterbacks returning for the 2023 season fans can expect more of the same.
The list of the conference's top players begins with one of those returning quarterbacks, but defending champion Kilgore – which led the conference in scoring despite never really settling on a QB in 2022 – has a couple of defensive standouts to keep an eye on.
The breakdown includes four quarterbacks, a receiver and a lineman on offense and a pair of linebackers and two ends on the defensive side.
SWJCFC TOP 10 PLAYERS
Dane Jentsch (6-0, 195) quarterback, Navarro: Completed 147 of 205 passes for 2,003 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions and rushed for 278 yards and three touchdowns on 71 carries in 2022.
Vincent Paige (6-2, 225) linebacker, Kilgore: Finished with 104 tackles, seven sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss, four fumble recoveries, two interceptions and a blocked kick in 2022.
Darion Peace (6-2, 215) quarterback, Trinity Valley: Played in 11 games for the Cardinals, completing 189 of 330 passes for 2,464 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Also rushed for a pair of scores.
Koby Muasau (6-1, 205) quarterback, New Mexico Military Institute: Completed 155 of 286 passes for 2,045 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions to go along with a pair of rushing touchdowns in 12 games last season. Passed for 68 yards and a TD in NMMI's 28-26 Wool Bowl win over Lackawanna.
Joe Sniffin (6-1, 215) linebacker, Trinity Valley: A coach's kid (father is head coach at Belton High School), Sniffin always seems to be in the right place. Finished with 97 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and an interception in 2022.
Derek Burns (6-5, 250) defensive end, Kilgore: Finished with 35 tackles, 9.5 sacks and used his height to block a couple of kicks for the Rangers in 2022.
McCoy Casey (6-2, 250) defensive line, Trinity Valley: Was one of the top players in the conference before being lost to an injury in 2022, but managed 54 tackles and three sacks in seven games for the Cardinals.
Khalib Johnson (6-2, 220) quarterback, Blinn: The only player on the list who did not play in the conference last season. Johnson signed with Louisville after leading his team to a Class 6A title in Alabama, passing for 3,271 yards, 40 touchdowns and seven interceptions as a senior. He had a hand in six touchdowns in the state title game (4 rushing, 2 passing). Injuries limited him in spring practice at Louisville, and he entered the transfer portal.
Gio Algeria (6-6, 330) offensive line, Blinn: Key blocker on a team that averaged 348.6 yards (184.2 rushing, 164.3 passing) and 29.9 points per game in 2022.
Treyvion Beamon (6-1, 185) receiver, New Mexico Military Institute: Hauled in 31 passes for 588 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022. Also a dangerous return man, averaging 11.8 yards and scoring once on 13 punt returns.
Others to watch: Michael Phoenix (6-0, 190) receiver, Kilgore; ShunMarkus Adams (6-3, 330) offensive line, Navarro; Eddie Toussom (6-5, 230) linebacker, Navarro;
Quincy Thompson (5-10, 225) running back, Trinity Valley; Caden Holt (6-2, 230) linebacker, Blinn; Malik Aliane (6-2, 315) offensive line, New Mexico Military Institute;
Matt Henry (6-5, 340) offensive line, New Mexico Military Institute; Jaden Pete (6-2, 210) quarterback, Tyler;
Arabia Bradford (6-0, 200) receiver, Tyler; Tonga Lolohea (6-5, 325) defensive line, Tyler